Friday Stream of Consciousness – 150

Featuring Joey Bats, Facebook, and Hillsong United

If you want to see what leadership through conflict looks like… Take a look at Mark Zuckerberg and how he has handled the Facebook situation. That is how you not only navigate conflict, but build trust. He turned what could have been a real problem for Facebook into something that will help Facebook for years by demonstrating genuine good faith through proactive reconciliation.

I will admit I can’t imagine the President doing that.

Or virtually any politicians.

How about church leaders?

Yes. But only the good ones.

Another trait I’ve noticed in good church leaders–they recognize opportunities for real personal/spiritual growth and take advantage of them with enthusiasm.

I had the opportunity to take my daughter Anna with me to see Lauren Daigle and Hillsong United on Tuesday night. Some observations:

The various Hillsong bands have written (arguably, but not really) more popular worship anthems than any other single source over the last twenty years. Not bad for some charismatic Aussies 🙂

Musically, they are incredible–and they write “big God” songs. Not a lot of new age or humanistic fluff in the lyrics.

A movie executive saw them live in Los Angeles a while back and decided to make a movie about their amazing story. You can view the trailer for the documentary movie coming out September 16 in theaters nationwide here.

The best part of the evening was sharing it with my 13-year-old daughter (who helps lead worship for our Youth Ministry) on the campus of San Diego State. The place was full of college students and young adults. In a sold-out room that sat 12,845–it was really powerful…and gave me a ton of hope for the future.

On a negative note–I think the stock market is headed to the tank (below 13,000 or so) within the next 6-12 months.

Everyone thinks the political story of the year is Donald Trump. Maybe…but how ’bout that Bernie Sanders? Who saw that one coming?

If you are looking for a new Twitter follow in leadership that will really help you…check out @pauljsohn This infographic of leadership styles from around the world (reprinted from Richard Lewis’ When Cultures Collide) is fascinating. Take a look at it. You might find your church is functioning under a German or French paradigm. Paul is a great guy, Pepperdine alum, and Brother in Christ.

I recently thought about my college diet. It was cheap. It tasted good. However, it’s amazing I’m still alive. Sugar cereal, pizza, Top Ramen, Mac n’ Cheese, Root Beer and coffee. Rinse and repeat.

There is a lot of talk about the Chargers and Rangers building new stadium…potentially using some public money to do so. As long as the team puts some serious skin in…I have no problem with it–as those stadiums will bring in a lot more money than is put into them and provide jobs to people who could use them. However, if the team wants the public to pay for the whole thing–forget that.

On the Blue Jays/Rangers Bautista-Odor brawl:

Bautista’s flip was no big deal. That was one of the biggest home runs of the last decade and it wasn’t premediated–like the beaning of Bautista in his last at-bat of the series.

Bautista’s slide was late–but not Chase Utley bad–and as the tapes have shown–Odor is known to do worse himself. In addition, you forfeit your right to cry about a late slide when you intentionally hit a guy with a 96mph fastball.

To me, there is no doubt Odor was trying to hit Bautista with the throw from second, as well.

Rangers were in the wrong…90% to 10%.

That 10% got Bautista a punch for the ages.

Lastly, I’m generally against violence–but I don’t see a basebrawl in the same stream as drive-by shootings or war in the Middle East. It is a rare part of a game in which the players build up unusual tension between each other through familiarity bred of a 162-game season + Spring Training. I wish it wouldn’t happen…but…as a former pitcher–I’ve thrown at people…

Only the ones who deserved it, of course 🙂 — and I tried to sting–not injure. But, I did it. Nearly every pitcher I know who has played at least high-school level has done it.

However, not for tossing a bat after a home run. That’s weak-sauce.

The most difficult part of trying to build a thriving church in San Diego is the distracted nature of Southern Californians. It’s not necessarily busy–it’s distracted masquerading as busy.

This Sunday our church takes up an offering dedicated exclusively for church multiplication. Please pray that God would prosper our offering–and that He would multiply it for His glory.

Song of the week goes to Hillsong United, “No Other Name,” live. The whole song is awesome. But, from 4:40 on… you get a flavor for what we experienced–and the heavily doctrinal nature of many of their songs.

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Dr. Tim Spivey is Lead Planter of New Vintage Church in San Diego, California. He is the author of numerous articles and one book, "Jesus: The Powerful Servant." A sought after speaker for events, Tim also serves as Adjunct Professor of Religion at Pepperdine University. Tim serves as a church consultant, and his writings are featured on ChurchLeaders.com, Church Executive magazine, Faith Village, Sermon Central, and Giving Rocket.